[2021] KECA 982 (KLR)

[2021] KECA 982 (KLR)

The Court of Appeal held that section 67(a) of the Kenya Roads Act is a mandatory statutory requirement that must be complied with before instituting legal proceedings against the Kenya National Highways Authority. The appellants failed to serve the requisite one-month notice to the Director General prior to filing...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2021] KECA 982 (KLR)
Parties
Appellant: Michael Otieno Nyaguti; Appellant: Michael Oginga Dache; Appellant: Robert Ouko Okumu; Respondent: Kenya National Highways Authority
Court
Court of Appeal
Court Station
Court of Appeal at Kisumu
Jurisdiction
Kenya
Case Number
Civil Appeal 52 of 2016
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Judgment on First Appeal
Outcome
appeal dismissed
Legal Topics
Statutory Notice Requirement, Road Reserve Encroachment, Constitutional Right of Access to Court, Preliminary Objection, Compulsory Acquisition, Alternative Dispute Resolution
Source Language
en
Land and Property Civil Procedure Constitutional Law Statutory Notice Requirement Road Reserve Encroachment Constitutional Right of Access to Court Preliminary Objection Compulsory Acquisition +1 more

Source-derived case record

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

More case intelligence is available

Unlock the full research layer for this judgment.

Downloadable case file Legal principles 4 Authorities cited 16 Party arguments 2
Sign in to unlock

Parties

Michael Otieno Nyaguti

Appellant

Michael Oginga Dache

Appellant

Robert Ouko Okumu

Appellant

Kenya National Highways Authority

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Civil Appeal / Judgment on First Appeal

  1. 1 Whether failure to serve a one-month statutory notice under section 67(a) of the Kenya Roads Act bars the appellants' petition against the respondent.
  2. 2 Whether section 67(a) of the Kenya Roads Act is unconstitutional for limiting access to justice under the Constitution.
  3. 3 Whether the Environment and Land Court erred in upholding the respondent's preliminary objection and striking out the petition for non-compliance with statutory notice requirements.

Ratio Decidendi

The Court of Appeal held that section 67(a) of the Kenya Roads Act is a mandatory statutory requirement that must be complied with before instituting legal proceedings against the Kenya National Highways Authority. The appellants failed to serve the requisite one-month notice to the Director General prior to filing their petition, and no evidence of such notice was provided. The court found that the preliminary objection raised by the respondent was a pure point of law, properly pleaded, and dispositive of the suit. The existence of alternative statutory remedies and the mandatory nature of the notice requirement meant that the trial court was correct in striking out the petition. The...

Court Disposition

appeal dismissed

Orders

  • The appeal is dismissed with costs to the respondent.
  • The judgment and orders of the Environment and Land Court striking out the petition are affirmed.